'We have a different perspective': Julie Bishop distances Australia from US on China, Russia threat.

(quote) The Turnbull government has distanced itself from a central theme of the Trump administration's new national defence strategy, which defines growing Russian and Chinese military might as greater threats than terrorism.

The American strategic outlook, unveiled earlier this month by Defence Secretary Jim Mattis, elevates "inter-state strategic competition" as the administration's primary focus and outlines Russia and China as revisionist powers seeking to challenge the US, undermine free and open economies, grow their militaries and "shape a world consistent with their authoritarian model".

(SNIP)

"We have a different perspective on Russia and China, clearly. We do not see Russia or China as posing a military threat to Australia," Ms Bishop told Sky News.
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Whilst Ms. Bishop was ostensibly speaking up stating Australia's position, I also get the strong impression that she was sending a strong diplomatic message to the US authorities to the effect; "stop vilifying Russia and China! These are not a threat."